Eduard 1/48 Brassin Bf109G-6 Big Sin Essential Set
By Jacob Russell
This is Eduard's Brassin Big Sin set for Tamiya's superb Messerschmitt Bf109G-6 kit. It combines 4 different Brassin sets into a single, useful package:
648 400 Bf109G-6 wheels
648 402 Bf109G-6 exhaust stacks
648 403 Bf109G gun pods
648 405 Bf109G-6 cockpit
The Brassin wheels include masks for the main wheels and the tail wheel. I am surprised that the wheels themselves don't come with separate front and rear faces: they would be easier to paint. Their detail is superb, nonetheless. The optional canvas tail wheel strut cover is a nice touch.
The exhaust stacks have the correct weld seams. The ends are open and convincingly deep. They're engineered to plug directly into the kit engine block. The exhaust shrouds are separate PE pieces.
The "gondola" under wing cannon were used on many 109 variants and as late as the Bf109G-10 and G-14. These are tailored to fit the Tamiya wings but it shouldn't be difficult to modify them for the Hasegawa, Eduard or Zvezda 109 kits. The optional open bays should lend themselves nicely to a maintenance diorama. These cannon are highly detailed and will add a nice focal point to your Tamiya G-6.
The detail of the resin cockpit parts is spectacular, especially the sidewalls and the floor. Bf109G cockpits were painted RLM 66, a fairly dark Grey. I would add some Neutral Grey or white paint to your preferred brand of RLM 66 paint so that excellent detail is easier to see.
The photo-etched pieces add more detail and finesse. The pre-painted fret includes upgrades like another instrument panel and seat harness. The "standard" PE fret includes the landing gear retraction wheels and chain, rudder pedals, canopy armor, canopy retention arm, etc. If you don't want to use the PE instrument panel you can use one of the 2 resin panels (one of these is blank for the photo-etch) in with decal instrument faces instead.
Tamiya's 1/48th scale Gustav is an accurate and well detailed kit right out of the box. You can certainly build a contest winning model with what the kit provides, but if you desire greater detail it is great to have theses Brassin Bf109G-6 sets in a single box. I recommend this set and I would like to thank Eduard for the review sample.